Last week Google Zurich celebrated its twentieth birthday and I was invited as a guest. I don’t know why, yet I reason that me living in Zurich and my work being in artificial intelligence were relevant. I received an email one day telling me that they would be happy if I attended, so I did. As a young computer scientist Google was part of my dreams; in my young mind working for them meant intelligence certified.

It was a nicely and professionally organized event, where they had guest speakers, discussions and even games. It was accompanied by a reception for networking where they served drinks and some small bites including slices of the birthday cake. The drinks and food were served by the waiters and waitresses in a “flying buffet” form. This means they carried trays in their hands and walked between the guests asking them if they would like to taste something. A young waitress approached me smiling and asked me if she could serve me a bite. Her gentle face sent me thirty years back. I was eighteen years old, in Istanbul, holding a tray in my hands like her and asked the same question to the guests.

When I had started studying in Istanbul I needed a side job to earn my living and save some money. I desperately wanted to go abroad after my studies; it was my biggest dream. I had England in mind as I studied English language and literature but it could be anywhere really. Anywhere I could afford for a few months, which would take me in as a Turkish citizen. As a result, I started doing side jobs. I worked as a Turkish-English translator at exhibitions and congresses, I gave private English lessons to school students and I served food and drinks at private events like the Google one. The latter was my least favorite. It was hard and tiring physically as well as demanding emotionally.

I remember having felt small and unseen. Unseen. Who I was and what I knew didn’t matter. What was important was how long I could stand, how much I could carry and how undisturbingly I walked among the guests with my tray while caring for their needs. The job paid well though. I vividly remember the feeling of relief and satisfaction at the end of each such engagement. I was dead tired yet content knowing that I was a tiny step closer to fulfilling my dream of going abroad.

As I looked at the smiling face of the young waitress who stood in front of me with her tray, feelings of gratitude, compassion and nostalgia overcame me. I saw my eighteen year old self full of dreams, plans, motivation and excitement for the life ahead.

What were her dreams? For what did she need to save money? Where did she want to be? I wanted her to know that I saw her. She was not unseen. I smiled back at her, looked directly into her eyes, exchanged a few words and said thank you to her which did come from my heart. I know she felt it.

Thirty years ago I could have never ever imagined I would be a part of this event, standing on the receiving end and being seen. Google didn’t even exist then. The money I had saved for four years from my side jobs as a student was exhausted during the first four months of my stay abroad. Afterwards life helped. I am infinitely grateful to the people who came across to me during those thirty years and the events that happened which brought me to the Google’s twentieth birthday celebration in Zurich.

I wish the same for the young waitress with the gentle smile on her face. May she meet the people and live the experiences that put her on the path of her dreams that are beyond her imagination today. May she be able to look back in thirty years and feel the gratitude I felt that evening.